Lucid Dreaming - Real Live "Inception"

I love the movie "Inception."  I think it's one of the best movies in the history of movies.  If you haven't seen it, go see it right now.  It's intense, complex, and deep.  Here's a synopsis:

"Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming."

(Taken from IMDb)

The best part about watching "Inception," however, is seeing the similarities between it and lucid dreaming.  The definition of a lucid dream is "any dream in which one is aware that one is dreaming" (Wikipedia).  In gaining self-awareness, the dreamer has the potential to change, control, or construct their dreams.  Sound like hogwash?  I can attest that lucid dreaming is possible, because I have done it.

My experiences with lucid dreaming is limited but very exciting.  It started when I picked up a book called "Lucid Dreams in 30 Days: The Creative Sleep Program."  It's part philosophical and part workbook.  It explains some fascinating concepts about dream awareness and manipulation.  I don't want to make this post too long, so I'll just share one concept today: awareness.  I believe this single concept is the key to all lucid dreaming and can change the way you sleep forever, once it has been developed enough.  The book describes it perfectly:

"We'd like you to think of dreaming in much the same way you think of driving a car.  Remember all the times you've driven along the highway seemingly not paying attention at all.  All of a sudden you've looked at the road and realized that someone has been exerting judgment and control - and that someone you've recognized in a flash is you.  Dreaming works in a similar way.  You usually aren't consciously aware of your ability to control the action; but of course, right down to the exact words spoken by your dream characters, the very last brick in your dream house, and the precise number of petals on a flower in your dream garden, you alone are the author and designer of your dreams.  Realizing this fact is much like suddenly realizing that you are driving the car.  Waking up in your dreams, in other words, requires a subtle shift in attention, so that you learn to be more completely aware of what you're doing."

Some techniques for gaining awareness in your dreams is to practice recalling and recording dreams right after waking up.  Another is to ask yourself throughout the day "Am I dreaming?"  By developing a habit of consciously checking to make sure you are not dreaming, you might find yourself asking the same question in a dream, and being able to answer, "Yes."  There is a lot of information and techniques in the book that I won't get into.  Instead, I'll share with you the most exciting lucid dreaming experience I have ever had.

Up till this experience, my lucid dreaming experiences were small.  In this dream, however, I truly experienced awareness.  My anxiety often haunts me in my dreams, and in this case, a human-like demon had captured several of my brothers and was tearing into them with its sharp teeth.  I closed my eyes and thought, "This is a horrible dream!"  As soon as I thought these words, awareness flooded my mind.  "Wait a minute," I gasped.  "I'm dreaming.  I can change this right now."  So I approached the demon and said, "I'm tired of you being here.  Go away now."  The demon resisted, but I willed it to go away, and it just disappeared.  Poof!  I found myself alone, so I thought, "What now?"  I grinned and said, "I want to fly."  And I did!  I just took off into the sky like a bird.  My stomach lurched in fear and joy as I soared over the clouds.  It felt so real.  Unfortantely, I began to wake up shortly after taking flight.  There are techniques to prolong lucid dreaming, but I hadn't learned them yet.  But what a dream!

Image from luciddreaming.net

I have a lot to learn about lucid dreaming, but I've made a great start.  If I keep practicing, I can learn to banish anxiety whenever it tries to haunt my dreams.  Maybe I can even meet the characters in my book.  The possibilities are endless!  Even though I haven't experienced any true lucid dreams in a while, I have gained a certain amount of general awareness that allows me to make little tweaks and changes to my day-to-day dreams.  I'm sure I'll share more lucid dreams as I have them.  I'm sure my lucid dreams will never be as vivid (or as dangerous) as the dreams in "Inception," but the idea of creating my own dream world keeps me dreaming.